The Value of Spending Time with Jesus [Acts Alive] - Pastor Dave Rajoon

Jun 07, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Boldness Rooted in Resurrection Life

The religious leaders marveled at Peter and John’s courage, but their boldness wasn’t natural—it flowed from encountering the risen Christ. Resurrection life reshapes fear into unshakable conviction. When death loses its sting, believers speak with authority that confounds earthly power. True boldness isn’t self-generated; it’s the overflow of knowing Christ’s victory rewrites every ending. [01:09:56]

But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.” (Acts 2:14, 32 ESV)

Reflection: What fear or hesitation in your life would shift if you fully embraced the reality of Christ’s resurrection? How might your conversations change if you spoke from resurrection confidence?

Day 2: Unlikely Messengers, Unmatched Power

Peter and John had no rabbinic training, yet their words silenced theologians. God’s power thrives in ordinary vessels, bypassing human credentials to highlight divine authority. The Sanhedrin couldn’t dispute the healed man’s transformation—proof that God needs no permission slips to work through willing hearts. [01:24:05]

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. (1 Corinthians 1:26-27 ESV)

Reflection: Where have you felt “unqualified” to share your faith? How might God use your unique story and availability rather than your resume?

Day 3: The Name That Shakes Foundations

Religious leaders demanded answers, but Peter anchored his response in Jesus’ name—the only name that heals, saves, and disrupts status quos. Speaking Christ’s name isn’t a formula; it’s wielding heaven’s authority against hell’s resistance. Every knee bows where His name is proclaimed in faith. [01:21:02]

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12 ESV)

Reflection: When have you hesitated to speak Jesus’ name openly? What step could you take this week to honor His name in a relationship or public space?

Day 4: Transformed by Time, Marked by Presence

The council recognized one undeniable fact: Peter and John had been with Jesus. Proximity to Christ reshapes speech, priorities, and identity. Like Moses’ radiant face after Sinai, time in God’s presence leaves marks the world can’t explain but can’t ignore. [01:33:11]

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13 ESV)

Reflection: What daily habits could better position you to “be with Jesus”? How might your interactions change if others sensed His presence in your mannerisms?

Day 5: Witnesses Fueled by Spirit-Fire

Peter didn’t muster courage alone—the Holy Spirit filled him mid-sentence. Bold witnessing isn’t about eloquence but empowerment. The same Spirit that resurrected Christ and ignited Pentecost equips believers to testify, turning timid hearts into torchbearers of truth. [01:13:32]

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8 ESV)

Reflection: Where do you need the Spirit’s boldness today? Pray for one specific opportunity to testify through words or actions, trusting His power over your preparation.

Sermon Summary

Acts 4 puts Peter and John in the middle of the temple courts with a healed man on his feet and the Sanhedrin demanding an answer. The council asks by what power or name this was done, and Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, names Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the one they crucified and God raised. The resurrection stands at the center, because no resurrection makes no sense of a healing like this, and no resurrection would mean no gospel to preach. Peter reaches back to Scripture and says the rejected stone has become the chief cornerstone. Then he draws the line clear: there is salvation in no one else, no other name under heaven given among men by which people must be saved.

Luke notes what the rulers see. They see boldness. They see men without the formal rabbinic badges. And they see the one explanation that actually fits the facts: these men have been with Jesus. Before, the disciples hid behind locked doors and ran from danger. Now, the resurrection they witnessed and the Spirit Jesus promised make cowards into witnesses. Jesus had said they would be his martus, witnesses whose testimony might cost their lives, and that is exactly what is happening here. Their lives no longer orbit around safety. Their priority is the kingdom, the glory of God, and the truth of Jesus.

The council cannot deny the evidence, because the man who was lame from birth and over forty years old is standing in front of them. They can only command silence. But Peter and John have been transformed. Time with Jesus has changed their character, their priorities, and their voice. The same courage and authority the rulers saw in Jesus now show up in his followers, because he has delegated his authority in his name. That name carries weight, and that is why people get offended when it is spoken. Other names can be tolerated, but the name of Jesus unmasks false confidences and calls for repentance and faith.

God’s pattern has not changed. He still takes ordinary, uncredentialed people and does extraordinary things through them. Moses stammered, Gideon hid, David was overlooked. The point is not the pedigree. The difference is Jesus. When the church seeks the Spirit, prays for boldness, and lives out a clear, humble witness, God opens doors. Healings and helps matter, but they are means to preach Jesus. The power promised in Acts is power to be a witness. And when a church actually spends time with Jesus, the world will notice, just like the council did.

Key Takeaways

1. Resurrection turns fear into witness [01:09:29] The risen Jesus reorients the stakes. Once the resurrection is seen and believed, death loses its grip and self-preservation shrinks. Testimony stops being theory and becomes fact declared at cost. That shift is how trembling disciples become fearless witnesses. [69:29]
2. The Spirit gives everyday boldness [01:13:32] Boldness is not bravado, it is the Spirit’s gift right when it is needed. He fills believers, brings Jesus’ words to mind, and steadies the heart before rulers or neighbors. Ask again and again, and he answers again and again with courage to speak. [73:32]
3. No other name saves [01:21:02] Acts draws a sharp edge on salvation. The cornerstone once rejected now carries the whole structure, and his name alone rescues. That exclusivity will offend, yet it is also the only solid ground. To honor the name is to tell the truth in love. [81:02]
4. God uses the untrained and ordinary [01:26:47] Lack of pedigree does not limit the Lord. He delights to put words in simple mouths and strength in unsure hands, so that Christ gets the glory. Time with Jesus outruns titles, and availability outweighs credentials in the kingdom economy. [86:47]
5. Time with Jesus changes character [01:33:39] Closeness to Christ produces recognizably different people. The same conviction and authority seen in him begin to show in his followers, slowly but really. Priorities shift to the kingdom, and witness becomes a settled reflex rather than a rare exception. [93:39]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[09:51] - Hallelujah and worship
[52:21] - Gratitude for life and breath
[55:34] - Acts 4 is read aloud
[57:56] - Recognized as having been with Jesus
[58:57] - The Beautiful Gate healing retold
[60:04] - Sadducees oppose the resurrection
[62:46] - By what name and power?
[64:03] - Boldness, untrained, with Jesus
[69:29] - Resurrection and Spirit make bold
[81:02] - No other name under heaven
[86:47] - God chooses unlikely servants
[93:39] - Time with Jesus reshapes character
[99:34] - Power given to witness
[109:07] - Communion: cherish the old rugged cross

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Acts 4:8-13 (ESV)
"Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them... Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus."

Observation Questions

What specific evidence did the religious leaders have that made it impossible to deny the miracle performed by Peter and John? ([01:01:33])
How does Acts 4:13 describe the disciples’ background, and why did this surprise the religious leaders?
According to the sermon, what two key factors transformed Peter and John from fearful followers to bold witnesses? ([01:09:29])

Interpretation Questions

Why does the resurrection of Jesus directly challenge fear and self-preservation, as seen in Peter and John’s boldness?
The religious leaders “recognized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). What does this imply about the visible impact of spending time with Christ?
The sermon states, “God uses the untrained and ordinary.” How does this align with examples like Moses, Gideon, and David mentioned in Scripture?

Application Questions

In what area of your life do you need the Holy Spirit’s boldness to speak or act for Christ? What practical step could you take this week to lean into that courage? ([01:17:27])
The disciples’ priorities shifted from safety to God’s kingdom. What habits or comforts might you need to reorder to prioritize Christ’s mission?
How can you intentionally create “time with Jesus” daily, even in small ways, to cultivate a character that others recognize as Christ-centered? ([01:33:39])
The sermon emphasizes that “no other name saves.” How might this truth shape your conversations with someone who views all spiritual paths as equal?
Reflect on a time when God used your ordinary abilities or circumstances for His purpose. How does this encourage you to trust Him with your limitations? ([01:26:47])

Sermon Clips

24s

#ResurrectionWitness

“You see, because they had seen for themselves. They had seen Jesus hanging up on the cross. They had seen the brutality of the Roman. They had seen all that he had gone through. And then on Sunday morning, they saw the resurrected Christ, and he had showed them the scars in his hands, in his side. So they had full scale experience that this is indeed the truth. We're not telling you some kind of tale now.”

27s

#OnlyJesusNoOther

“No other name. I want us under that. Somebody say no other name with me. No other name but the name of Jesus. Understand that here today. And that's the reason why people don't want you to talk about Jesus. Have you noticed that you can go anywhere in any situation and you could talk about any god? You could call any other god, but when you speak Jesus, immediately people get offended. Have you noticed that? When you call the name Jesus, somehow for some reason,”

29s

#EmpoweredByHolySpirit

“Immediately as he was coming to stand, you know, Jesus had promised them that. He says, the holy spirit come upon you. He's gonna bring to your remembrance all the things that I've taught you. Everything I've said to you. He said, don't worry when you stand before the magistrates, and don't worry when you stand before the judges because the holy spirit, who is your comforter, he's gonna be with you, and he's gonna bring back to you what you should say and what you should tell him. The scripture says, and we know what happened on the day of Pentecost. Acts chapter two.”

31s

#GenuineTransformationNeeded

“You know, I know some Christian people who would have been saved for twenty or twenty five years, but you think about them twenty five years before, they're the same person. Same bad habits, same way to talk, same kind of behavior. Nothing has really changed. Something has to change if you come to know Jesus. I want you to understand that. The whole purpose of coming to know Christ is for transformation. you must be transformed. You must and as a matter of fact, you may not see an immediate transformation,”

23s

#KnowYourCalling

“in the kingdom of God. You need to know what God has placed in your hand. And today when I stand up and I make a boast, it's not because I feel arrogant, I feel I'm more than myself, but it's simply because I know what God has called me to do. And and we all need to have that same perspective. Say, God, I know I am a conqueror. I am a victor. You've called me for this, and I'm gonna go forth and do it. Amen?”

25s

#OvercomeSelfDoubt

“and I grew up not having a lot of self esteem, and and very often we have people like that in the church and the kingdom who don't have the self esteem to say, no. I I have what it takes. I have what it takes. I I remember growing up as a young man. I I knew that I was very talented. I used to be the church playwright. I would do a lot of things, was involved in that, and loved and drama and things like that. But you know what? I didn't feel that I I was qualified for anything.”

24s

#UntrainedButAnointed

“And I wanna focus on that for a little bit. It says, seeing the men and they perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant in in some versions of the bible. You know, the religious leaders were not really insulting Peter and John's intelligence. They were acknowledging that these men lacked the formal rabbinical training to be able to declare and to say things and to teach and so on. And that happens. I remember,”

30s

#ForMeToLiveIsChrist

“He said, I would love to come to you Philippians. I'm here in jail right now. I would love to come and spend time with you because being with you will bring some forth some fruit. So but at the end of the day, whether I live or whether I die, it doesn't really matter. You see, because I'm hard pressed to come and spend time with you, but I also am caught between the two because I wanna go and be with Jesus. Essentially, paraphrasing. Now that's what he's saying in Philippians chapter one because Paul is very clear that he says, for me to live is Christ and to die”

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